Panchayat polls phase 2: 91 lakh voters, 12,000 booths & 29,608 candidates

Guwahati, May 6: Campaigning for the second and final phase of panchayat elections in Assam concluded on Monday, with both ruling and opposition parties making last-ditch efforts to win over rural voters. The polling is scheduled for tomorrow across 13 districts in central and lower Assam, covering 12,130 polling stations.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma spearheaded the BJP’s campaign, highlighting welfare schemes initiated during his four-year tenure, especially those targeting women, youth, and marginalised communities. He emphasised state efforts to combat child marriage and drug abuse, claiming positive results. The CM also criticised previous Congress governments, accusing them of superficial appeasement without tangible empowerment.

The BJP's campaign was further bolstered by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state BJP president Dilip Saikia. On the other hand, the Congress, led by Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, slammed the BJP for failing to address pressing issues like unemployment and price rise. Congress leaders, including Gaurav Gogoi and Bhupen Kumar Borah, pledged rural development and accused Sarma of diverting attention from the government's failures.

Polling on May 7 will take place in Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Bajali, Nalbari, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Hojai, Nagaon, Morigaon, and Darrang districts. Voting will occur from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, and repolling, if needed, is scheduled for May 9. Counting for both phases will be held on May 11.

A total of 91,31,127 voters—including 46,30,924 males, 44,99,952 females, and 251 others—are eligible to cast their votes in the second phase. The contest involves 29,608 candidates. Already, 1,289 candidates, including 21 Zila Parishad (ZP) members, 151 Anchalik Parishad (AP) members, and 1,117 Gaon Panchayat (GP) ward members, have been elected unopposed. The phase includes 181 ZP, 87 AP, and 10,530 GP constituencies.

In Kamrup district, the administration has finalised all arrangements for the polls. District Commissioner Deba Kumar Mishra, addressing the media at Amingaon, confirmed that all logistical and security measures are in place. Election materials will be distributed from the Integrated DC Office and Dakshin Kamrup College, Mirza, starting 7 am on May 6.

Out of 1,333 polling stations in Kamrup (excluding Rangia), voting will be held in 1,274 stations, as 59 stations saw uncontested victories. Special arrangements include 44 women-only polling stations. A total of 5,096 personnel, including 1,274 presiding officers, have been deployed. Officers underwent three phases of training. Of the 36 candidates contesting in 14 ZP constituencies, 17 are women.

Kamrup district has a voter base of 10,22,061, with 5,09,333 males, 5,12,698 females, and 30 others. After polling, ballot boxes will be stored at Dakshin Kamrup Girls' College in Mirza and in strong rooms at the old DC office campus in Amingaon.

The first phase of polling took place earlier in 14 districts including Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat. With all eyes now on the second phase, the election outcome will be crucial in determining the political direction of rural Assam.